Theresa May walked back into Downing Street as a significantly weakened Prime Minister.

May had hoped to be celebrating an increased majority for the Conservative Party having called a snap election in April. Instead, it ended in a hung parliament.

The Conservatives remained the largest party but fell short of the 326 seats required to secure a majority government.

With the backing of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, May, though, will remain as Prime Minister.

“I have just been to see Her Majesty the Queen, and I will now form a government – a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country,” said May.

A resurgent Labour party defied expectations, increasing the party’s number of seats.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn had proved his doubters wrong having secured a significant chunk of the youth vote. He called on Theresa May to resign.

“It doesn’t look like a strong government, it doesn’t look like a stable government, it doesn’t look like a government that does have any program whatsoever,” said Corbyn.

This has been an election that has provided more questions than answers.

But for May, there is little time to waste with the important business of Brexit talks fast approaching.

Some of May’s opponents believe the approach to those Brexit talks will now need to change.

“One thing that is clear from the result of the election is that the mandate Theresa May sought for her extreme version of Brexit has been rejected by the British people,” said Tim Farron, Liberal Democrats leader.

May remains defiant on Brexit, vowing to deliver the will of the people.

This snap election has been described as the gamble that did not pay off. But the cost of that failure is not yet clear.

Guy Bentley discusses Theresa May’s political gamble

CGTN’s Asieh Namdar spoke with Guy Bentley of the Reason Foundation for his insight into the British elections and PM’s May’s next move.

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